Improvement in ditching-machines



UNITED l STATES PATENTE OFFICE.

CHARLES O. VEST, JOHN It. SMITH, JOHN CAREY, GEORGE JANNEY, REUBEN HUNT, AMOS HOOKETT, DAVID WEST, ELIEL WEST, AND JEPTHE GARNER,

OF MA RTINSVI LliE, O HIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN DiTcHiNe-MACHINES.

Specification forming partoi Letters PatentNo. 28,320, dated May 15, 1860.

ToA all whom it may concerne.l

Beit known that we, CHARLES O. WEST,

lJoan RSMI'IH, JOHN CAREY, Gunnar: JAN- NEY, REUBEN HUN'nAi/Ios Hocxnrr, DAVID WEST, ELIEL WEST, and JEPTHE GARNER, all of Martinsville, in the county of Clinton and State of Ohio', have invented 'a new and Improved Ditching-Machine; and we do hereby declare thatthe't'ollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying dra-wings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section, taken through Vour machine, with the doublel mold-board discharges attached,`t`or throwing the earth o" on each side of the ditch. Fig. 2 is atop or plan view of the same, showing more clearly the wings ofthe Inold-board for discharging the earth laterally. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a single discharging moldboard and cutter. l Similar letters of reference indicate correv sponding parts in the several figures.

This linvention is an improved machine for forming ditches ot' any width or depth, having either vertical or inclined sides, the latter being the best, on account of the sides not b-V ing so liable to fall in by constant washing. They are also more easily formed and kept -free from inundation. The machine can be used for digging ditchesaround farms, for draining water, irrigatin g land, forming roads, railroads, and for any and all purposes where a ditching-machine can be made serviceable. The great difficulty and expcnsefin ditching or forming trenches for carrying off water'with machines heretofore used arises from the fact that at'ier the earth has been loosened by a plow or otherwise, it must all be raised or removed, and cast asuiicient distance from the trench to prevent its washing back again, Jand either a separate machine must be used {mare- Inoving this earth in small quantities, or else it is thrown ont on the -side of the bank with shovels, requiring a great eXpendit-ureof time and labor, which, with our machine, is rendered, to a great degree, unnecessary, for the earth is removed suiiciently far from the ditches to prevent its returning again, and the ditch is prrg fectly formed and lthe earth removed at one operation or` in once passing along.

To enable others skilled in the art to fully understand o'urinvention, we will proceed to describe its construction and Muse..

B y reference to the accompanyingdrawings,

A' represents a triangular beam with a clevis,

B, in front, to which the draft-chain of the team is attached. This frameis made of strong andlsubstantial timber, and has a square iron bar, C, passing transversely through its front end, 'whichprojects out on either side olf' it an equal distance, and receives through its ends the vertical elevating and depressing screws D D, which are operated by levers a a on their upper ends. These screws D D have their bearings in two standards, E E, properly braced, and attached to a sled, F, which runs over the surface of the ground and permits the front end of the beam to be elevated or depressed for regulating the depth oi' cut of the plow, as hereinafter described. The rear end of the beam A, is hinged to the top and sides of the plow or ditcher, and can be readily removed either for transportation or for attaching another ditcher, which is shown by Fig. 3 of the drawings, by withdrawing the bolt b. We have arranged on the inside of the transverse piece of the beam A, and in the middle of its length, a colter,- H, which is secured by a key-Wedge, 0,'or by any other suitable device. Said colter precedes the plow and extends down a suitable distance into the ground, and greatly assists in loosening the soil for its reception by the plow. 0n top of this same piece which supports the colter, is a vertical standard, I, proceeding up a suitable distance from the 'beam A to receive a brace-rod, J, which extends from the top of this piece to near the front end of beam A, at which pohts it is conncetedby bolts, and serves as abrace for the vertical post I.

The plow,which will be hereinafter described, is supported and sustained by the 4brace-rod K, which is pivoted to the top of post I and connected to the rear part of the plow by a screw-rod, which is on the end of rod K, which passes through a lug, d, on the plow, and re. ceives on each side of said lug a nut, e. Bg@

" thiswlevice the heel of the plow can be adj usted so as to'throw the plow-point deeper in the ground, as occasion may require. he plow shown attached to the frame, Figs. and 2,

is a double plow, having an inclined bottom L, extending up and back from the point, and

gradually increasing in width, as shown by Fig. 2, having a tin or cutter, M, placed in the middle of its width and extending up slightly above the two sidesN N. This tin M serves an important purpose iii-separating or dividing the mass of' earth as it is-forced up thein clined bottom L, so that it will pass out and be delivered onvthe sides of the ditch by the concave discharges L L', the vaction of. which is somewhat similar tothat of the ordinary mold-board of a plow. The earth, which is divided by the dn M, is kept in eachchannel by a rib, e', which serves as a partition.

ff are ledges or guards turned over and outward from the Vsides N N ofthe plow. The

front edges of each side N are, cutting-edges.

- samemanner as described for the double plow.

For facility'o transporting our machine,

,the plow can be detached from the beam A byY withdrawing the bolt b, that secures the4 two together. .l

Having thus described our invention and improvement, what we claim, and desire to .secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The employment of the iin M in combina tion with the inclined bottom L, as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

2. l'he combination' ofthe rib e with theinclined bottom L, as and for'the purpose set forth.

3.. The employment of a hinged triangular beam, A, and adjustable' sled Fin combination with the plow, as and.l for' the purpose herein shown and described; 1 v 4.-. The eombnatiomwith the plow, the beam A, and sled F, of the adj ustable pivoted bracerod- K, standard I, and front brace-rod, J, as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

CHARLES O. WEST.

JOHN R. SMITH. JOHN CAREY. 'GEORGEJANNEY REUBEN HUNT.

- AMOS HOCKETT.

DAVID WEST. ELIEL WEST. JEPTHE GARNER.

Witnesses:

' GEO. GeHAaRIs,

Hu Bl 

